DEQ-CFW_00074634

Internal FAQ for Other Perfluorinated Compounds
8/30/2017 9:54 PM
What are the health effects of the compounds in the EPA's report?
We don't have enough scientific information about these compounds to know if the levels
reported by the EPA are a risk to human health. GenX is the only one of these emerging
compounds for which we have enough information to establish a health goal.
Will DHHS set a health goal for the compounds in the EPA's report? How long will it take?
While we know it's frustrating, DHHS does not have enough scientific information to set a
health goal for the non-GenX compounds in the EPA's report. DHHS is working with the EPA,
CDC and other scientists to get more information about these compounds as quickly as possible.
Is my water safe to drink?
We have not changed any of our recommendations. Levels of GenX have been decreasing and
are below the health goal established by DHHS. Based on these results and results of routine
testing for other compounds, our current recommendation is that you can continue to use the
water. We do recognize that there are concerns about other compounds for which the health
effects are unknown. We are working with our federal partners and other scientists to understand
the possible health effects as quickly as possible. Our goal is to provide the best information
available in a timely manner so people can make decisions for themselves and their families.
Should I consider other sources for my drinking water?
Possible health impacts of these compounds — which are currently unknown -- should be
balanced against the health risks of using water from unregulated sources that are not regularly
tested for known toxins like lead, mercury and arsenic.
Can the health goal for GenX be applied to the compounds in the EPA's report?
There is not enough information to know whether the health goal for GenX is appropriate for any
of the other compounds included in the EPA report. Our staff are working closely with federal
agencies to help answer this question, and we will share information as soon as it's available.
Would you drink the water? If not, why?
We have not changed any of our recommendations. This is an individual decision and our goal is
to provide information so you can make an informed decision for yourself and your family.
Is it safe for me to give my pet water? What are the long-term impacts for them of
drinking the water?
We are not advising pet owners to refrain from giving water to their pets.
I'm a livestock farmer, is it safe to give the water to my [chickens, turkeys, hogs]?
We are not advising that farmers not give water to their chickens, turkeys or hogs. We do not
have any information to suggest that these compounds will get into the food supply.
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Is it safe for me to mix my baby's formula with the local water?
We don't have enough scientific information to be able to set a health goal for the non-GenX
compounds. This is an individual decision. Possible health effects should be balanced against the
health risks of using water from unregulated sources that could contain known toxins like lead,
mercury and arsenic.
What other compounds are in the water that we should be worried about?
DEQ and DHHS are working with the EPA and the CDC to learn everything we can about these
compounds. It is likely that little will be known for the near future, but we will let you know any
developments in this area ASAP.
Do any of these compounds cause cancer?
We examined the cancer rates as reported in the state's Central Cancer Registry to determine if
there are existing patterns of increased cancer rates in counties that receive drinking water from
the lower Cape Fear River. Overall the results were not concerning. The rates were what we
would expect to see looking at multiple types of cancer in multiple counties, with some rates
below and above the state rate.
Should I purchase a water filtration system for my house to remove the GenX from my
water?
We are not recommending that you purchase a water filtration system. Although preliminary
studies suggest that certain types of filtration are more effective than others for removal of GenX
and related compounds from drinking water, these findings have not yet been published or
reviewed.
Did DEQ or DHHS ask the EPA to analyze the water samples for these two compounds? If
not, why did the EPA include these two chemical compounds in their report?
DEQ and DHHS requested that the EPA report on all of the compounds identified in Dr.
Knappe's study. The EPA made the decision to report on these five most prevalent compounds,
based on its own analysis — three of which were in the Knappe Study.
Who participated/attended Monday's meeting with the EPA?
Staff from DEQ and DHHS participated with staff from the Environmental Protection Agency
and the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences.
What steps have been taken by DEQ and DHHS since Monday's meeting?
Since meeting with EPA, DEQ this week urged Chemours to stop discharging chemical
compounds that were identified in an EPA analysis of the company's waste stream and shared
with the state this week. DEQ also again called on the company to provide the state with a
complete inventory of all chemicals included in the waste stream at its Fayetteville facility.
DEQ made its requests in two letters issued this week after a meeting in which EPA shared
preliminary results of its analysis of water samples collected at Chemours' wastewater discharge
outfall in Fayetteville and finished drinking water at the Sweeney plant in Wilmington.
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One letter requests that Chemours stop the release of chemicals identified by the EPA as Naflon
byproducts 1 and 2, which the federal agency estimated to be elevated in the company's waste
stream. Concentrations of the three other perfluorinated chemicals identified by the EPA have
dropped significantly similar to the way GenX levels fell after the company stopped discharging
GenX. For that reason, state and federal officials believe the three perfluorinated compounds
were part of the same wastewater discharge that included GenX and was stopped.
In the second letter, DEQ amplified its previous request that Chemours provide the state agency
with a complete inventory, sampling data and test results for all chemicals included in the
company's waste stream. DEQ made those requests in a letter the state agency issued to
Chemours Tuesday and in previous requests the state sent to Chemours on Aug. 16 and Aug. 18.
DHHS is working with the EPA, CDC and other scientists to get more information about these
compounds as quickly as possible.
What are the uses of Naflon?
The Chemours facility provided the following description in their wastewater discharge permit
application:
"The Chemours Company — Fayetteville Works' Fluoromonomers / Naflon® Membrane
manufacturing area produces several final products. ChemoursTM Nafion® Membrane is a
plastic film used in the chloroalkali industry and in electrochemical fuel cells. ChemoursTM
Nafion Polymer Dispersions are used in the fabrication of thin films and coating formulations for
fuel cells membranes, catalyst coatings, sensors, and a variety of electrochemical applications.
The HFPO monomer and the Vinyl Ether monomers are used to manufacture various
fluorochemical products such as ChemoursTM Teflon®:"
Do we know how long Chemours or it's predecessor, Dupont, has been manufacturing
Nafion?
DEQ's records show that DuPont started the Nafion facility for manufacturing fluorocarbons in
1977.
What can you tell us about the two Nafion byproducts: what are their chemical names and
molecular structure, and are they chemically similar to GenX?
The two byproducts have Chemical Abstract Numbers: 66796-30-3 and 749836-20-2. Molecular
structures are:
CAS No. 66796-30-3:
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F F F F
F
HO F Molecular Formula, CIHF,305S
Qr Monoisotopic Mass: 443.9337 Da
/ j F F [M-HQ-. 442.9264 mlz
CAS No. 749836-20-2
F F F F H
O
F
O FF
)�F
HOe Molecular Formula: C7H,,F,403S
Mondsotopk Mass; 463.9399 Da
O li F [M-Hj-. 462-9326 m/z
O
At this time, EPA has indicated their research leads them to believe the two above chemicals are
associated with the Nafion manufacturing process at the Chemours Plant.
When did Nafion byproduct 1 or 2 appear on the radar screen for either DEQ or
DHHS? How about the EPA?
The Nafion byproducts were not included in the 2016 Sun et.al. report. The state asked EPA to
conduct the same evaluation as the Sun study. However, the EPA also included the Nafion
byproducts because of their earlier work undertaken in 2015 in the Cape Fear region which
indicated the presence of these compounds.
The EPA identified the two chemicals in its analysis as Nafion byproducts because the chemicals
are believed to originate at Chemours' Nafion process area. The EPA estimated that these two
compounds were present in concentrations equivalent or greater than the GenX compounds, so
the agency elected to include these compounds in the preliminary work on the other compounds.
How long did DEQ give Chemours to stop discharging the Nafion byproducts into the Cape
Fear River? And what will be the State's next step if Chemours refuses to do so?
DEQ urged Chemours to stop discharging compounds to the Cape Fear River immediately.
Did the EPA give an estimate on how long it will take to complete any of its next steps?
No.
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